


Keeping Up

by EclecticRegard



Series: Unapologetically Us [2]
Category: House M.D.
Genre: Established Relationship, Excessive Drinking, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Insecurity, M/M, Misunderstandings, Multi, Polyamory, Slash, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-06
Packaged: 2018-04-03 05:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4088683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EclecticRegard/pseuds/EclecticRegard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, but not often, they wonder if they'll be able to keep up with Chase enough to maintain his interest. They're, well, middle-aged seems to be the politically correct term these days, while Chase is definitely in the prime of his life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keeping Up

Sometimes, but not often, they wonder if they'll be able to keep up with Chase enough to maintain his interest. They're, well, middle-aged seems to be the politically correct term these days, while Chase is definitely in the prime of his life. He ought to still be free to do all of the dumb things younger adults like to do. Sure, they go out to bars and party, but that's only occasional at best these days. House and Wilson cannot handle being hungover every day anymore and, although Chase was never one to get that drunk very often, they were almost convinced that he thought it would be nicer for him to be with someone who could keep up or even take the lead.

Drinking and partying weren't their only concerns, of course. By the time Chase had joined their... whatever they had (because 'relationship' sounded gross to House when considering himself and Wilson), they were well into the phase of being content to spend most evenings at home, eating dinner and watching television and, occasionally, having sex. Although their respective libidos hadn't taken that big of a hit as they got older, sometimes sex seemed more trouble than it was worth, especially if they'd gorged themselves at dinner.

Through it all, with their concerns gnawing at the backs of their minds like a tick, the blond didn't complain. Sure, he would try to whine or bargain -- whichever helped him reach his immediate goals -- but he never flat out complained. That, more than anything, bothered the two older men, who seemed to thrive on complaining about one another.

 

~ ~

 

It was no secret at Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital that the young Doctor Robert Chase was considered to be a very attractive and exotic (thanks to the accent) man. There were sometimes rumors about his having an affair with a nurse, other doctor, or even a patient, but, to the outside spectator, he seemed to simply be happily unattached. Some would try to convince him to go on a date with them (attractive _and_ a doctor appealed to many people), but the most they ever got in return was some half-hearted flirting that ended the second something or somebody else caught his attention. He was busy, after all, performing surgeries and taking the time to check up on his patients' conditions during their recovery. On top of his own work, he occasionally consulted with Doctor Greg House, Head of Diagnostic Medicine.

In other words, he was just too damn busy to notice a pretty smile when it was directed at him.

While Chase was busy not noticing the looks and suggestions thrown his way, it was quite obvious to everybody else. At first, it sparked a bit of jealousy and ill-mannered encounters amongst some of the staff. However, as time passed it became less about worrying that somebody else would snag Chase first and more about a betting pool that someone hoped to eventually win. The newer, and therefore more naive, staff members would place a bet on themselves too early on and a mixture of irritation and a wounded ego clung to them for days after their eventual loss. The more seasoned staff members bet on themselves, or a friend, for later down the road, thinking that perhaps the blond just needed to be worn down before they could go in for the kill. The only ones who were in the run to win, aside from those who had bet on themselves taking longer than six months, were Eric Foreman and Greg House, who agreed on at least one thing: nobody looking for a fling would be able to bag Chase. 

When news of the betting pool reached House's ears, he immediately took up residence in Wilson's office in an attempt to talk through his final bet. Wilson, although busy with paperwork, was distracted enough by the other man to comment on the stupidity of the betting pool, as well as on the moral implications of House becoming part of a bet revolving around one of the people he was sleeping with. House, of course, dismissed Wilson's detached concerns with a simple statement that he would use the winnings to make it up to both Chase _and_ Wilson. When Wilson pointed out that House didn't need to wait until he won a bet to afford whatever make up activities he had in mind, House told him to either suck his dick or help him come to a decision about the bet.

They managed to complete both tasks without rousing the suspicions of anybody outside the office. 

 

~ ~

 

They never let on to Chase about the bet. It was enough that they sometimes worried about their vitality failing to match Chase's; god only knows what insecurities would be brought up if Chase found out about the betting pool and decided to help somebody win it as a joke. Instead, they focused their energies on trying harder to do the things they assumed Chase was still interested in doing.

The three would wind up a bars more frequently than before; not only would they drink in excess at the behest of the two older men, but they would often dance or go barhopping, particularly on the weekends. If they simply couldn't stomach another night out drinking, they would push for evenings full of spontaneity, which often left them out until very late (or early, depending on how you wanted to look at it) or, at least, awake in bed until very late. It was fun, of course, but it ran them down to the point where they didn't want to wake up until late in the afternoon. For the most part, however, the younger man seemed to be enjoying the newer, more energized versions of his lovers.

 

~ ~

 

Chase was _exhausted_. For some damn reason, a switch was apparently turned on in both Wilson and House. At first, he had hoped it was just one of them pushing for more and the other would soon put a stop to it, but soon it became abundantly clear that the two brunets were matching each other's newfound energy. When one suggested one thing, the other would up the ante once they had already started working on the first suggestion. If their intention was to break Chase down like a wild pony, then they had definitely succeeded. No longer did he have to bargain with them to go an extra round of sex or to stay out another hour. Rather, he found himself trying to bargain to _not_ go an extra round or stay out longer. The human body could only handle so much, and Chase was _not_ in college anymore! He was certain that even in college, he wouldn't have been able to keep up with House and Wilson. They wanted too much too often, and rest seemed to be the furthest thing from their minds. If anything, they seemed to have suddenly become so very anti-rest that Chase found himself occasionally worrying about his physical well-being. Well, okay, so it was mostly in a joking sort of way, but after a particularly nasty hangover had left him sleeping and vomiting most of his Saturday away, some percentage became more serious than a joke.

In between working and trying to keep up with House and Wilson, he found very little time to relax. It seemed as though every free moment at work was spent in one of their offices -- Wilson's more than House's, if only because it offered a great deal more privacy -- engaging in some lewd activity that, honestly, House had probably seen in a pornography and wanted to test in real life. The fact that they had yet to mess up and leave at least the occasional suspicious stain on somebody's pants was nothing short of a miracle in Chase's mind, though such things didn't seem to preoccupy Wilson's mind (House never cared, as it afforded him bragging rights and the joy of awkward situations, so that wasn't new) anymore.

It had been going on for a few weeks, far too long to be physically or mentally healthy for any of them. Chase found himself lamenting the privacy and space that his old apartment had afforded him, almost regretting moving into the larger apartment some months ago. He had accounted for and expected many things upon their living together, but never in a million years could he have anticipated a sudden fast-paced lifestyle that would put even fraternities to shame. 

Eventually, it got to be too much for him to handle. In between performing surgeries, consulting with House on certain cases, and tending to both men's personal needs, Chase felt himself wearing thinner and thinner each day. As he knew his work shouldn't suffer due to his personal life, he began thinking about what he wouldn't give for the three of them to just order take out, watch a bad movie, drink a beer or two, and then go to bed to just _sleep_. He wanted to fix things before it was too late and before he even dared discussing it with them in an exhaustion-mixed-with-frustration fueled state of anger, he began planning a way to rectify that issue first before anything else.

 

~ ~

 

It struck both House and Wilson as a little odd that Chase had sent them on home before him. Technically, he wasn't set to get off for another hour anyways, but it wasn't as though they minded staying out of sight until he was finished for the night. Still, Chase had insisted that they go relax at home, so that's just what they did. Once at the apartment they both collapsed in front of the television, putting on some mind-numbing show until Chase returned. Neither of them wanted to move from the initial positions they had fallen into on the couch, their bodies run down from the past few weeks. Even when Wilson's phone buzzed, indicating he had received a text message, it took him almost a full minute to work up the energy to lean forward to grab the device off the coffee table.  
  
"... It's from Chase."  
  
House, who had been dozing off where he sat, stirred. "He on his way?"  
  
"No, actually. He said that something came up and he has to stay until late, so we should just go to bed without him."  
  
"Emergency surgery?" the older man asked, scrubbing at his eyes in an attempt to wake himself up.

"Doesn't say. Just 'don't wait up - R'."  
  
"He _still_ signs off on his texts? He knows you can see it's from him when he texts you, right?"

"Maybe he's as tired as we are?" Wilson sighed, reaching up to loosen his tie. "We need to eat something, and then I'm passing out."  
  
"I'm ordering pizza and there's nothing you can do to stop me. Give me your phone. Mine's way down in my pocket."

A couple of hours later, with stomachs full of pizza and soda (after House had suggested grabbing a few beers to have with dinner, Wilson had visibly turned a little green), they began settling in for the night. Wilson sat on his side of the bed, laptop opened as he finally took the time to go through their finances. He hadn't had much energy to do the responsible thing and look through their checking account, which they all shared while maintaining their own personal savings accounts.  
  
"House...?" he asked slowly, coming across a purchase for that day. When he received a questioning grunt as the other was brushing his teeth, he continued, "When are we going to the 'Sweet Dreams Hotel'?"  
  
He heard House spit out the toothpaste before he scoffed. "What, that sleazy little place off the highway? I'm not going there unless you get me high."

"It says you paid for one night there. Today."

"No I didn't!"  
  
"Well neither did I!"

The man appeared in the doorway to the bathroom. "That leaves one more, Jim dear. A certain little lying Aussie."  
  
Wilson frowned, paling a little at House's implication. "He wouldn't... Would he?"  
  
"One way to find out, isn't there?"

 

~ ~

  
The banging at the door to his hotel room nearly scared the actual piss out of Chase. He had just settled in under the cool sheets and was about to flick the lamp off when somebody began pounding incessantly on the door. He stumbled to the door, clad only in boxer briefs and hoping that he wouldn't later come to regret that decision, and yanked it open with an irritated " _What_??"

His irritation was met with suspicion as he came face to face with his lovers. House shoved his way inside, turning the light on as an afterthought as he went to study the room. Wilson, at least, stood with his foot in the doorway, not coming in to invade Chase's space but ensuring the younger man couldn't be easily rid of him.  
  
"What are you-- House! What in the hell are you looking for?" Chase demanded, eyes narrowing as he watched the taller man poke and prod his way through the small room.  
  
"Just curious. Indulge me while I try to sniff out whichever hospital skank you invited over for a quick one-and-done."  
  
The blond scoffed, shooting Wilson a look of disbelief. "You're not serious, are you?"  
  
"Do the math, Robert," Wilson said, sounding less angry, like House, and more tired. "You see a strange purchase for a room at a less than reputable hotel, call the hospital to find out that 'Dr. Chase left hours ago,' all while expecting to hear that he's in an emergency surgery or something. What would you suspect?"  
  
Irritation quickly melted away into guilt, the kind that makes your stomach hurt enough that you hope throwing up with alleviate some of the pain. "I didn't... I honestly didn't think about that," he admitted, motioning for Wilson to come in so he could close the door. No sense in airing out his stupidity for the rest of the world; it would be embarrassing enough to do it in front of House and Wilson. He sat down on the edge of the bed, huffing when House pushed his legs out of the way so he could lift the bed sheets to glance under the bed. "Nobody else is here, Greg. Just the three of us."  
  
"Then tell us, Blondie, what brings you to this skeevy place? You expect us to believe that you came here to be by yourself?"  
  
"Actually, yes. I didn't go to a nicer place because I just wanted to sleep." At that, both House and Wilson's frowns deepened, partially with confusion and partially still suspicious. "I didn't want to come home tonight because... Hell, this sounds really stupid, but because you guys won't just let me sleep!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"We've been going from zero to a hundred and eighty miles per hour for weeks now and I can't keep up any more! If we're not drinking, we're hungover. If we're not hungover, we're out doing something stupid. If we're not out doing something stupid, we're defacing every possible surface in the apartment by having sex on it or near it. The last time I just tried to go to sleep after dinner we stayed up for _three more hours_! I can't take it! I can't... I can't keep up." So much for calmly and rationally explaining himself. His explosion was exactly what he was trying to avoid by sneaking off to get some actual sleep, and that had failed miserably.

House and Wilson both stared at him in mirrored silence after Chase was finished. House was the first to speak after him.  
  
"Sooo... there isn't somebody else?"  
  
Chase let out something between a scoff and a tired sob, grinning wryly at House. "Between work and your and Wilson's party phase, when the hell would I have the time to find somebody else? I don't want anybody else. It just hurts to realize that I'm not going to be enough for you two."  
  
It was Wilson's turn to laugh, the sound sharp and startling. "You're joking. You think _you_ aren't enough for _us_? The only reason we've been going through this 'party phase' is to show we can keep up with you! We're old, Robert. We didn't want you to feel stuck."  
  
"When have I ever said anything about feeling stuck?" Chase demanded, narrowing his eyes again. "You're both psychotic. I've never said anything like that."  
  
"You would have to almost beg us to do stuff sometimes," Wilson pointed out. "We thought we'd beat you to it."  
  
"By nearly killing me? What on earth made either of you think that I'd want all of this?"

"We're doing exactly what you've asked us for in the past!" House said accusingly.  
  
"Well, yes, sometimes that stuff is fun. _Sometimes_. You're acting as though I'm still a college freshman wanting to test out the party lifestyle just to say that I was wild when I was younger!"  
  
Silence fell over the three of them, each man letting everything fully sink in.  
  
Wilson licked his lips absently, looking from one man to the other. "We don't have to keep this up then?"  
  
"God no. Please. I will die from exhaustion if you do."  
  
"Thank _fuck_ ," House said quietly, sinking down on the bed next to Chase. "I was about two nights of partying away from tying you up just so we could rest."  
  
"Again, I _never_ said--!" Chase began, then cut himself off, grumbling. "You're insane, the both of you."  
  
"Does that mean we can stay here tonight? Because I really want to just pass out right about now."  
  
"... No sex?" the blond sounded hopeful.  
  
"Try anything that requires me to put forth any effort other than climbing into bed and I will chop your dick off and mail it to your family," House threatened, already toeing off his shoes.  
  
Wilson spoke up as he began shedding his coat. "And I'll help."

Once the three of them were settled on the bed, which was slightly too small for three grown men and left them having to cuddle fairly close together, Chase reached a hand up to flick the other two in the forehead.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"That was for putting me through hell for the past few we- _eks_!" Chase finished with a yelp as House's hand came down to smack him square on the ass.  
  
"Well _that_ was for not using your big boy words and telling us you hated it."  
  
"You're such a hypocrite!"  
  
"If you two don't shut up in the next two seconds, I will kill you," Wilson seethed, voice muffled from where he had settled in, pressed into House's neck.  
  
"Don't make threats when you sound like a tired moose, Wilson. It just makes us want to laugh at you."

 

~ ~

 

A few months after the rather large misunderstanding, House and Foreman were standing just off from the nurse's station, watching as a small group gathered to check in on the betting pool.  
  
"Poor, naive bastards. They'll never win, and they don't even know it," House said quietly, basking in their eventual failure.  
  
"More money for us." Foreman shrugged.

Something occurred to House. "Double or nothing I can name the next person Chase sleeps with."  
  
"Please," Foreman scoffed, "like I'm stupid enough to take you up on that."  
  
"That hurts, Foreman. I have feelings too, y'know."  
  
"Yeah, I know." He looked inexplicably amused. "Chase told me all about your feelings when he told me what you got him for your anniversary with him and Wilson."  
  
"Well--" House actually paused at that. " _What_?"  
  
"You think I just decided to agree with you when we both bet that none of those people would get him for a quick fling?"  
  
"I'm going to kill him. Or you."  
  
"Don't do that. I'm the only one he told what he wants you to get him for Christmas."  
  
"You're diabolical."  
  
"I learned from the best."


End file.
